Hugging
by let's point out the obvious
Summary: Russell isn't allowed to hug Fletcher anymore.mild to moderate tringhamcest here, folks. pretty much fluffy with sprinkles of angst and loads of crap I just made up...giveagaspUPDATED!
1. Hugging

Eh...Russell and Fletcher don't get enough love?

Yeah...that must be why I wrote this...Mostly not even proof-read or nuffin. Sorry in advance for all those annoying lines. They were necessary for my sanity, I'm afraid. Don't like it, suck wind.

* * *

Russell Tringham came off to most people as cold and uncaring. 

Sad past, most people whispered behind his back as he walked briskly ahead through the streets of Xenotime with his little brother at his heels like a puppy. Sad past...what with old Nash leaving them for so long, and then the news of his death received so suddenly...

Sad pasts were what hardened people's hearts, after all. Figured young Russell would be just the same as any other pathetic soul washed up in a dying town.

But no one really saw Russell when the ice melted and his old nature came back into him.

Only, on occasion, would Elisa or her uncle Belsio witness these amazing flashes of warmth that filled the boy's eyes and made him genuinely smile.

Elisa, being so young, didn't really understand the change in mood, but it made her happy to see that the others were happy. That was all that mattered to her.

Belsio however easily determined what caused this change in the older of his two wards.

His younger brother Fletcher.

The smaller boy always seemed to draw some kind of calm and joy out of his brother.

It wasn't entirely unnatural. After all, the real Elric brothers seemed even closer then Russell and Fletcher. Alphonse was definitely the bringer of peace to Edward's raving rants and fits of anger.

But, Belsio wondered why Russell seemed so reluctant to let his good moods show? Happiness was natural, as was affection.

Why did he stiffen and force down his smiles when Fletcher hugged him?

Belsio decided finally that he would never understand people in general, let alone the Tringham brothers. So he let it be and tried his best to ignore the situations around him without offering any of his usual sage advice.

Still, he wondered...

Russell knew that people talked about him. He knew they were asking questions and quite honestly he thought they had the right.

He was a fairly mysterious person, wasn't he?

But seeing as he had no desire to share the details of his life before Xenotime and had expressly forbid Fletcher from saying too much, no one was going to be receiving answers anytime soon.

Not that he really had anything to hide. He just enjoyed having his privacy, was all.

He could tell what Belsio was thinking though; what the man was wondering.

Why did Russell have to act like such a complete and utter bastard?

Maybe not in that many words but all the same, he could tell that was what Belsio, and others, often wondered.

The truth was. Russell didn't mean to act like such a jerk. In fact he hated being so cold, especially to his younger brother.

He loved Fletcher dearly and he hated to make the younger boy think that he was unhappy or angry with him.

But some sacrifices had to be made. Not that anyone else would understand. If Russell had explained to them exactly what went through his mind when Fletcher hugged him, then maybe they'd sympathize with him. But he wasn't going to give his thoughts away as free as air, so it seemed that no one would ever sympathize with him again.

( However, you are all just people who might be reading this. Russell doesn't know that you can see inside his head. If he did, he'd have none of it. Let's just keep it our little secret, okay? )

* * *

The problem, you see, was his great-aunt. 

The woman was rather old and so naturally had a rather old view of the world. She was incredibly strict and sour and Russell had never liked her. The old shrew did come to their home on occasion though and unfortunately they all had to pretend to not hate her.

His poor mother usually fared the worst from the visits, stressing herself until she was drawn out to string and pieces just to make sure that the old witch-woman was kept content.

On one particular visit, years before his father abandoned them, Russell and Fletcher had been playing together right outside the butcher shop while their mother was conversing with the butcher about pork chops and chicken.

Their great aunt had come along on the trip and was watching the two of them like a hawk, even though she didn't really have to.

Russell, being nine at the time, felt he was quite old enough to look after his little brother without any scary old ladies glaring at them.

And definitely not if they were going to glare like _that_!

"What?" Russell had asked her innocently.

They weren't doing anything wrong. Little Fletcher was just clinging to his big brother's waist as if it were his lifeline.

Of course he was, he'd just seen a spider.

Fletcher used to be afraid of spiders and Russell was always there to move the spider away, just as he had done now. Then he'd give Fletcher a reassuring hug and tell him that everything was okay and the spider was more scared of him then he was of the spider anyway.

But their great-aunt didn't seem very happy, not that she ever was...

She seemed even less happy when she saw Fletcher land a messy kiss on Russell's cheek.

The glaring didn't really bother him too much though. Maybe, Russell thought, she was afraid of spiders too.

The old witch waited until their mother came out of the shop with her grocery bag fuller then it had been then began speaking to Mrs.Tringham in a frenzied whisper.

Russell ignored most of it, only just able to catch a few words here and there. Most of them seemed to be about him...

He concentrated more on keeping Fletcher from wandering into the street after a little blue-bird, keeping a tight hold on the smaller boy's hand.

When they got home his mother put Fletcher down for a nap and took Russell into her and his father's bedroom to talk.

Usually he had to go to that big bedroom to be scolded and made to stand in the corner after he'd misbehaved.

Not that he did that much anymore...

This time however, the talk was different.

His mother seemed embarrassed which was strange. Usually she was very cheerful and she laughed lightly at almost anything.

But today she didn't seem to be in such a happy mood...

She asked Russell what he had been doing with Fletcher earlier that day, when they were outside the butcher shop.

He was puzzled by the question but didn't hesitate to explain to her that Fletcher had seen a spider and gotten scared.

She nodded in understanding as he told his tale and relief was fast to wash over her features.

He asked her if he had done something wrong and she told him not at all and then she had hugged him tightly.

Then she explained that he was getting older now and that he had to be careful not to be too...huggy with Fletcher when they went out.

Of course he had demanded to know why.

It wasn't like he hurt Fletcher...quite the opposite. And the passing women, not to mention their mother, always ooed and awwed when they saw the two brothers being so adorable and cuddly with one another. Where was the problem?

His mother was blushing, actually blushing. Goodness...

She told Russell that she appreciated that he wanted to spend time with Fletcher and help to protect him from things, like big bad bugs, but now that he was older some people may not...appreciate how helpful he was being.

Like that mean old witch of a great-aunt?

Yes, just like her.

It was sort of because he was getting so tall. He'd gotten a growth spurt recently, just as his grandfather had once predicted, and seemed to be getting taller every day. A regular bean-sprout, Russell was.

But it also made him look older then he was. And for some reason people didn't think it was cute anymore when he hugged Fletcher and let the younger boy kiss him on the cheek.

But he only did that because he loved Fletcher!

Yes...but...

And why didn't anyone care when _she_ hugged Fletcher and got kissed on the cheek? She was even _older_ then him- no offence- and no one minded at all!

That was different. She was his mother.

That wasn't fair.

No, no it wasn't. But things were unfair sometimes. Just because you didn't like them didn't change anything.

But...

His mother had obviously seen the disappointed and shame on his face because she sighed and smiled at him.

It's okay to hug your little brother...just...keep it at home.

And that was that.

Russell took another offered hug of condolence and walked away.

He realized just what his mother had meant the next time they went out shopping.

Was it his imagination or were people staring at him?

Or were they staring at Fletcher?

He pulled the smaller boy closer to him on the park bench they were sitting on, giving the people around warning glances.

Another boy, a little older then him snickered at that as he walked by.

He probably just didn't have a little brother to protect...

And when the boy whispered something to a little girl by the swings, both looking in their direction and they both burst out laughing, Russell decided that it was time for a change.

He wouldn't understand what the people had been looking at them and laughing about until he was older and by then it would make him blush.

No one should be thinking things like that about him...

Even if he did look too old to be cuddling his little brother.

* * *

He took his mother's advice after that, refusing to hug Fletcher in the presence of other's. He turned away at the other's attempts to cuddle or kiss him. 

Even when Fletcher found a spider in his lemonade and was crying hysterically, Russell made no attempt to comfort him. He just dumped out the lemonade and got him a new glass.

As much as it pulled at his heart to not give Fletcher a big hug they were in a public place...

He just couldn't do that sort of thing anymore.

By the time Fletcher was seven he seemed to have completely resigned himself to his fate.

Russell would never be the sweet, warm big brother he used to be...

It had gotten easier as they both matured. Fletcher was no longer quite so clingy and needy as he used to be. He had even conquered his fear of spiders to the extent that the eight-legged things were now as good as cute little tabby kittens to his gentle, petting fingers.

On occasion Fletcher would grab hold of Russell and lock his arms around the older boy's legs in a hopeful embrace.

Of course Russell never returned the hug unless of course they were at home where he felt safe from strangers and watchful eyes.

But he almost never felt safe...

While they were at Mugear's mansion it seemed that there was never time to talk to Fletcher, not even give him an affectionate pat on the shoulder.

Russell was absorbed in his work then and Fletcher seemed to fall into second place.

How had that happened?

And how had he let it happen?

* * *

When Fletcher's overalls were dripping with the chokingly thick wetness of the red water Russell should have hugged him, held him. Told him he would be okay. 

But he didn't.

He was too shocked by his own stupidity and too used to his unaffectionate nature while in view of others to manage anything more then a horrified, open-mouthed stare.

Fletcher was alright in the end, thank god.

Russell would have never been able to forgive himself if Fletcher had gotten sick.

And if the younger boy had...died...

Russell didn't even want to think about that.

As terrifying as that situation had been, Russell decided once again to change. Not much, but a little.

Fletcher had taken the backseat in his life for too long...

* * *

The shared a room in Belsio's house with two beds, one alongside the right wall and one on the left. 

They had been researching a bit and stayed up too late. Russell was tired as hell but he did like to try and stay up long enough to make sure Fletcher was asleep.

Which he wasn't yet.

As much as Fletcher hated to admit it, the complete and total darkness of the room at night scared him just a little. And the growing storm outside wasn't helping.

Russell could see Fletcher sitting wrapped in a thick blanket on his bed, flinching at the sound of the wind that was rattling the windowpanes.

He glanced toward the door to make sure it was closed, which it was.

Locked too? Yup. Fletcher was always so paranoid...

Then he got up and walked over to Fletcher's bed. He scooped Fletcher up into his arms, blanket and all, and carried the surprised boy back to his bed where he dropped him gently down in a spot nearer the wall, then climbed into the bed himself. He threw his own blanket over both of them and smiled at Fletcher.

The smaller boy stared at him with wide eyes.

Who was this guy and what had he done with his big brother?

"Russell..."

The older Tringham yawned and wrapped an arm around his brother.

"It's okay to hug you at home..."

Fletcher practically squealed in his joy at being accepted and burrowed into the mess of blankets to cuddle up against Russell.

It was these rare times that Russell warmed up to him that Fletcher really enjoyed.

Even if he could hear Belsio's light chuckling from outside the bedroom door.

* * *

Eh... 

Was it just me or was that strange as heck? No matter...I liked it well enoughanyway. Hope someone else did to...meh. I'm not entirely sure I haven't completely screwed over the little bit of the Tringham's past that is discussed in the show but...well, I couldn't honestly figure out the time-line for their lives. Oh well.

And just because you don't care...

I have taken to calling the Tringhamcest pairing Flussel...I'm not quite sure why, but my sister came up with it and I took to it like a stick on beard and moustache to someone's face.

Hooray for Flussell!

Nyah.


	2. Kissing

Note: Well...here is a follow up to my first bit about Russell and Fletcher...because..um..you guys apparently liked it. I'm always amazed at what people actually enjoy reading...You can all thank one reviewer in particular because they were the straw that broke the camel's back. The camel being my mind. It just..snapped right in half. The moment I read the review my whole head went 'krrrr...krnap' and my mind broke. That must be what made me crazy enough to write this...and to plan on writing more. O.o

* * *

Russell drew the line at kissing. 

He had been allowing Fletcher to hug him for about a month now. Publicly so for just under a week.

He kept waiting for something to notice, to say something, to grab him by the shoulders and shake him till he stopped being stupid.

But no one did.

Fletcher pulled his older brother around the market by the hand and nobody gave them a second glance.

Fletcher latched onto Russell's legs like a particularly adorable leech and just smiled up at him, right in the middle of the street, and still no one took much notice. Aside from the old granny who cooed and smiled at just how cute Fletcher could be. But Russell didn't blame them.

Perhaps, Russell thought, this was alright. Perhaps they really could just be brothers. Brothers who cared greatly about each other and openly admitted it. There was nothing wrong with caring about your family, after all.

And the people who had implied...things about them back in their old town were simply twisted. Twisted and deeply disturbed. Perverts.

And he had believed them. Stupid.

The people of Xenotime didn't seem bothered at all by the Tringham brother's behavior. They really were sweet boys, said the local chatterbox-women. Especially the cute little one, they said.

Things were going well. Just...well. Normalcy was a good thing. Health and affection and keeping busy were all good things. Life was just plain good.

But then Fletcher had to go and kiss him. Right in the middle of the market too.

It was just on the cheek, sure, but the woman selling candy had definitely noticed.

On the spur of the moment Russell had decided to buy his brother a chocolate bar. Why? Why not? Just because.

And Fletcher had been happy and surprised and for some reason he dragged Russell down a bit and jumped up a bit to give the taller boy a quick kiss on the cheek.

Except Russell froze in wide-eyed shock and Fletcher's lips seemed to linger just a little too long.

The shopkeeper stared at the scene, still holding Russell's money.

Everything snapped back out of slow-motion as Russell pushed his little brother away and gaped at him.

"Fletcher! D-don't _do_ that!"

Then the shopkeeper was laughing and shaking her head, stashing Russell's money away in her register.

Russell whipped around to stare at her. She thought it was...funny?

"Typical older sibling..." she said, still chuckling, "My big brothers wouldn't even be _seen_ with me when I was his age."

She indicated Fletcher then wandered off to restock a shelf of peppermints.

Russell found himself swallowing hard and not looking at Fletcher, sure that the smaller boy was looking terribly hurt by now. He couldn't stand to see him like that...looking so rejected and sad.

So he didn't look at him, only handed him his chocolate. Then they walked back to Belsio's in silence.

The walk home was slow, dripping darkness. Creeping frigid air, seeping down the back of his shirt and a heavy weight that settled just so atop his shoulders.

He imagined he could see what Fletcher was thinking.

The poor kid was probably wondering what he'd done wrong...

"Sorry." Russell choked out, unsure of where the word had come from so suddenly.

He realized a moment later that it hadn't come from anywhere suddenly. It had been eating him from the inside out since the moment he pushed Fletcher away.

What had he been thinking? Fletcher was young and he was too sensitive for his own good. Showing Russell affection was like opening himself up and offering his very heart for Russell's use.

And he had just stabbed it through with a hot spoon...

Fletcher only looked at him sideways, hiding by tipping his head forward so that the ear-flaps of his hat obscured his face from view.

"S'okay..." he murmured in his almost comically small voice.

The only time Fletcher ever got loud was when he was talking to Russell. When he would get excited because he had changed an array and made something work on an awesome scale or had done something as usual as made a new friend, the words would tumble out of his mouth in a fast and bubbly way, somehow forming an actual story out of gleeful squeaks and laughter.

Or when Russell did something so wrong that he needed to be scolded...

But thankfully that hadn't happened in a while.

Russell liked it when Fletcher was loud though. When he was happy...

"No really. I mean it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shoved you like that. It was wrong."

His hands balled into tight fists, squeezing the life out of themselves as blood-flow was lost to his fingers and they gradually became a ghostly white.

Fletcher turned around completely to look at his brother then, his face uncovered to show sad blue eyes and a tired looking frown.

In an instant the eyes lit up and a smile stretched to an unnecessary size.

"I believe you." Fletcher said with a laugh. He started opening the chocolate bar Russell had bought for him, glancing down as his fingers fumbled with folded paper.

"I just wish I understood what went on in your head sometimes, brother. All I did was...kiss you..."

Actually classifying the act and using words to describe it made it sound like something that was much less innocent. Fletcher blushed a faint pink and looked up at his brother, wide-eyed.

"You...you don't think people would think..."

Russell grimaced and nodded slowly. So Fletcher had finally caught on...

So much for the beauty of innocence.

"But...we're just brothers...how could anyone think anything like that?"

Fletcher seemed...angry? Could Fletcher actually _be_ angry?

"I just do what little brothers do, right? It was just a kiss on the cheek. The lady at the shop was just laughing about it. She said it was normal. I'm allowed to love my big brother, right?"

Russell stared down at the little blond boy in shock. Fletcher sounded too...panicked.

"Well sure you are. It's just-"

Fletcher cut him off.

"No! It's just nothing! Brother you've been avoiding being around me for so long...why do you care what they think?"

Russell was speechless. Quite frankly he didn't have answers to the questions Fletcher was asking.

They should be allowed to care about each other, sure. And Fletcher should be allowed to kiss him on the cheek without anyone caring. And without Russell freaking out, too.

But...why did he freak out? Why did he even give a damn what anyone thought?

"I...I..."

Fletcher's eyes were brimming with tears and he was trembling.

"Do you just...not like me anymore...?"

Crap. Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap...

"No! I mean- YES! Eh...I still like you, Fletch! Of course I do!"

Russell dropped down onto his knees and threw his arms around his brother.

Well...no one else was on the road anyway...It was safe.

"I care about you more then anyone in the world. You _know_ that."

Fletcher sniffled pathetically, letting Russell embrace him. He almost never _received_ any sort of affection from his older brother. This would have been a rare treat if he didn't already feel so upset.

"I-I know..." he murmured, raising his arms to finally return the embrace, "I just...wish you wouldn't get so upset..."

Russell still wasn't sure what to say to that.

It wasn't that he didn't want Fletcher's hugs and...well alright...the kisses weren't so bad. They were cute and all, but he wasn't sure he wanted anyone seeing. That would lead to strange ideas and even stranger conclusions.

He decided on, "Just hugs...okay? Just hugs are okay. No kisses." Then he released Fletcher and stood up.

He just hoped that he didn't sound entirely cold and heartless.

Fletcher sort of smiled at that and nodded and they shared the chocolate bar on the way home but Russell was sure that neither of them really enjoyed it.

After Fletcher went off to play some game out in the garden with Elisa, Russell sat down in the kitchen to talk to Belsio.

"What do you think about the way Fletcher clings to me all the time?"

He asked the question almost immediately and Belsio seemed to have been caught off guard by it.

"He's...a very clingy sort of boy. I guess."

The question was dismissed with a shrug. But Russell would have none of it.

"Sure he is. But does it bother you at all that he's so affectionate with me? I figured people would stare..."

Belsio got up and set about making himself some coffee, looking for a moment as if he might just ignore the older Tringham.

"I really don't care one way or the other." he said finally, "As long as no one gets hurt, what the two of you do is really none of my business.

Russell stared at the man for a moment, puzzling out in his head.

His gaze hardened, "What are you implying...?"

His glare was met with a smirk, "Nothing at all."

Was something going on that Russell had just...completely missed? It was like everyone else knew something that he didn't and it was really starting to bother him.

oooOooo

That night Fletcher insisted on a goodnight kiss.

Russell refused.

"You're too old for a goodnight kiss." he said with a frown.

"No I'm not..." Fletcher said, a slight whine coming into his voice, "You're just being...that way again."

Russell's frown deepened and he left Fletcher in his bed to go over to his own on the opposite side of the room.

"I think you're old enough that you can go to bed without a goodnight kiss."

Had that sounded too condescending? He was almost sure it had...

"Just...go to sleep."

He closed his eyes and pretended that he was already on his way to sleep.

Fletcher wasn't fooled for a second.

There was a rustle of cloth and a few soft footfalls on the floor and when Russell opened his eyes Fletcher was standing next to his bed, leaning over him.

"Fletcher. Go to bed."

The smaller boy merely shook his head.

"Not till you tell me what's wrong with a kiss goodnight. I know you don't want anyone else to see it but there's no one here but us."

Russell closed his eyes again and tried to ignore his little brother.

Which was difficult because Fletcher kept nudging him in the arm.

"Come on...just tell me why and I promise I'll leave you alone and go to bed."

"Brothers shouldn't kiss each other!"

It was out of his mouth and out in the open much too quickly. Everything he'd been mulling over silently seemed to have flopped out of his head and onto the floor for Fletcher to openly stare at.

The smaller boy stood blinking for a moment.

"Why not...?"

Russell groaned.

Fletcher had to grow up at some point...right? Somehow Russell had always hoped he wouldn't.

"Look...just...boys really shouldn't kiss each other at all. Just boys and girls. And not if they're related."

"But..."

"Trust me. It's just wrong."

Another moment of silence. Hard, heavy silence that sank down and crushed him into his bed and made it harder to breath.

Just...say something...

He didn't have to try to break the silence though because there were lips pressing against his and that was a plausible excuse for not speaking. His eyes shot open and he just stared up at his little brother's face.

The kiss was...just a little too long to be a goodnight kiss. Too long and too much.

Fletcher moved away before Russell could gather the wits to push him again.

The younger boy clamped a hand over Russell's mouth, stopping another repeat of the same speech before it could leak out.

He leaned down to lock his gaze with Russell's and smiled just as innocently as ever.

"Things are only wrong when you think of them like they are."

Then he padded back across the room and snuggled down into his bed.

Russell ran his tongue over his lips.

He could swear that they were tingling...

And he was a horrible pervert.

And Fletcher's childish and completely insensible logic was just begging to be agreed with.

And goddamn Belsio was chuckling outside in the hallway again, the crazy old bastard.

* * *

I think this one might be even stranger then the first... 

But it did give me a chance to receive a notice from fate (or god/the cosmos/whatever you wanna call it) I wrote the first page of this on an actual paper by hand. Which I never, ever do. Mostly because my handwriting is awful.

But just as I finished the page and went to put it away in my book the paper flew out of my hand, went straight into the air and nose-dived right between the floorboards of my deck.

My dear, sweet (obnoxious) little brother was kind enough to climb under the deck and get it for me, so he gets bonus points. But yeah...I don't think I'll ever write on looseleaf again.

Oh yeah- and I hope you all took some form of joy in reading this. And if you're hoping for something a little more Tringhamcesty, stick around. This thing might just take on a mind of its own and tie Russell and Fletcher up in someplace that is full of chocolate where all clothing mysteriously vanishes.

I mean...maybe they'll kiss again.

-cough-

Or maybe not. It all depends. And I am the goddess of the notoriously long after-note.

Nyah.


	3. Touching

Note: Righto! Tally-ho! Other fake-ish words that end in O!

I'm banging my head against a wall trying to write an essay for my history class and it's just not making anything better. "Do you know what the best part about slamming your head against a wall is? Stopping." It's not that the essay is hard, it's that it's too easy and I'd rather try to work out an argument for how the rights of the Nazi's might have been infringed upon ( xD ) then ramble about peoples rights ACTUALLY being infringed upon.

So anyway...I decided to ease myself into writing and out of sanity by continuing with my Flussell series.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Russell was beginning to wonder if maybe there was something wrong with his little brother.

Fletcher was obviously a smart boy. And he seemed to be growing up normally, even if he was a bit small for his age. He was creative and kind and he didn't seem crazy in the least.

And yet he kept looking at Russell _that_ _way_.

Russell could tell it was _that way_ because he had given _that look_ to people before as well.

Fletcher was becoming a teenager now and Russell knew he had to accept the fact that his little brother would start to become interested in doing...certain things with...certain people.

Of course he had never really expected Fletcher to like boys, but once he figured it out he was fine with it. Nothing wrong with that, right?

But boys that were older...and also his BROTHER...?

That couldn't possibly be healthy.

He didn't bother confronting Fletcher about his suspicions, knowing that the younger boy would simply create some kind of ridiculous logic that would justify everything.

And then they'd end up kissing again...

The last time that had happened, about a week and a half ago, there wasn't just a kiss, but a _kiss_. A real kiss with lips and tongues and hands moving in directions that they really should have been much more embarrassed about moving in.

Russell wouldn't let that happen again.

He couldn't slip up.

He wouldn't let himself ruin Fletcher like that.

Unfortunately with each of _those looks_ it was getting harder and harder not to mess up.

oOo

"And it doesn't help that he's going through puberty, damn it!"

Belsio nodded as if he was actually listening and moved about the greenhouse they had built last fall, attending to his tomato plants.

"Hm...it's a load of fun, isn't it?"

Russell rolled his eyes as he lugged a pail of water over to the man, dropping it unceremoniously on the ground so that it sloshed over a little.

"It sucks, quite honestly! It's bad enough that he has to go through it, but does he have to drag me along? I've already been through this crap and I don't need to deal with it again!"

Belsio glanced up at him then, giving him one of those looks that made him feel suddenly very, very guilty.

"I mean...if he wants to talk to me about anything, that's okay...He usually wants to tell me everything. But all of a sudden he won't open his mouth around me!"

Belsio 'hmmed' and nodded again, turning back to his tomatoes.

"I find out practically everything anyway...sharing a room with him..."

Russell was mostly muttering to himself by now. But part of him wished that Belsio would actually hear and ask him to speak up so he could spill everything and it wouldn't be like it was his own fault.

Belsio, the bastard, ignored him.

"Dreams..." Russell continued in a whisper, folding his arms as he chose a wooden beam to lean against.

"Ah...those are the worst." Belsio said with a knowing smirk.

"He says _my _name!" the blonde blurted out, "How completely twisted is that?"

That got an honestly surprised glance out of Belsio.

A few moments of awkward silence followed in which Belsio continued to stare and Russell began to blush.

Why had he even said anything?

He was going to get thrown in jail for corrupting his little brother and Fletcher would be tossed in an orphanage or maybe he'd just get left to wander the streets and he'd have to survive on bread crusts and would eventually end up selling himself and he'd get beaten up and raped by some sleazy jerks and-

"Figures."

Russell's eyes went wide and his blush faded to be replaced by a paper-white paleness.

"Wh-what? What do you mean 'figures!' I'm being serious here!"

Belsio smirked at him and made his way to the greenhouse door, Russell following after him like an angry mother hen after the one who nearly stepped on her chicks.

"So am I. It makes sense that he should say your name during a wet dream. Seeing as he likes you in that way."

Color came flooding back into Russell's cheeks and he hissed at the man.

"Shhh! Don't say it so loud! Someone'll hear!"

Belsio merely chuckled and picked up a basket of fruit to bring inside.

"Someone like who? The squirrels?"

Russell glanced around all the same, making sure that no one had heard anything. There was, of course, no one around but a sparrow who looked interested in the bird seed Fletcher had thrown outside earlier.

They went back inside and Russell felt a little less paranoid about someone hearing. After all, Fletcher had gone into town to meet up with Elisa and run some errands.

He had sort of always hoped that those two would get together...

And yet at the same time he hadn't. The idea of letting his little brother go to anyone, even just a girlfriend, seemed...much too strange.

"I don't see why you're so bothered by this all..." Belsio muttered as he set about washing off all the fruit he had just brought inside.

Russell rolled his eyes, flopping into a seat at the kitchen table.

"You don't know why I'm bothered by it? Oh, I don't know...maybe it's because there's something seriously wrong with my little brother and it's my fault that he's turning out this way!"

Belsio seemed unimpressed by his display of guilt and angst and didn't even bother looking back at the young man as he scrubbed some dust off an orange.

"I'm not talking about all that...What I'm asking is why you're not just giving in to what you want to do. It's obvious that your brother likes you in a certain way and you feel the same way, so why not just go with it?"

Russell was horrified.

Or at least he pretended to be.

"I do _not_ think about Fletcher that way! And he only thinks of me like that because he's confused! I just need to talk to him about it and maybe then he can get a girlfriend-"

Belsio's quiet snort cut him off.

"What...?"

The man shrugged again, toweling off the oranges he had washed.

"He doesn't like girls. We all know that. And neither do you."

Russell was quiet for a moment before managing a snap of, "I like girls."

Belsio snickered.

"Whatever you say, kid...But the last time I checked you had a crush on a certain 'Hero of the People' Elric."

There was that damn blush again...

"That's completely unrelated! Stop changing the subject!"

Belsio's snickering continued, almost unheard.

"Besides..." Russell continued in a small voice, "He kind of looked like a girl anyway..."

Belsio's laughter became much louder for a moment, then died down.

The man sighed, turning around to look Russell in the eyes.

"Do whatever you think is right. I can't tell you what's good for you. Just make sure that whatever you do, you and your brother are both happy."

Belsio was always good for advice. Or at least for something to make Russell feel a little better.

Even if he hated having to put up with the jackass comments first.

oOo

Fletcher asked Russell to kiss him that night.

And Russell, after a lot of protesting and excuse-making, complied.

They sat on Russell's bed, lips locked together and tongues not so much fighting, but coordinating.

Fletcher had climbed into Russell's lap at some point during the kiss and was still there when they broke apart and stared at each other.

"Brother...do you...I..."

The younger boy was flushed and panting quietly, looking both pleased and extremely embarrassed.

"I know you don't like it..." he murmured, bringing his arms up to wrap around Russell, "But I love you...and I like touching you like this..."

Russell had to think about that for a few minutes.

He didn't dislike Fletcher's love...

He loved Fletcher just the same way.

They loved each other, damn it.

Once he put aside the raging argument inside his head, he could only focus on Fletcher.

"I like touching _you_ like this, too." he said decisively, and pulled the smaller blonde closer to him.

Screw the world.

"And I love you, too."

And screw Belsio, because even if he wasn't outside in the hallway at that particular moment, he'd probably say something to Russell days later about hearing the rest of his and Fletcher's night together all the way over in his bedroom.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

There!

I think...this might be done. Totally now.

I had some fun with it, but I have to focus on two other fanfics at the moment!

And...my essays...blargh.

And life size Alphonse!

-dances and quickly tires out-

nyah...


End file.
